Splash down: Everything you need to know about the region's pools.
June 19, 2013
The start of summer means that Westchester’s public pools are opening. Grab your towels and sunscreen and head to one of Westchester’s pools owned by Westchester Parks and Recreation. They open Friday, June 21!
These aren’t just pools — they’re aquatic playgrounds.
Rye Playland Pool
At Rye Playland you can enjoy the outdoor pool, play in the sand, walk along the boardwalk (the Main Boardwalk is now open!) and, if that’s not enough for you, check out the rides! The pool itself is on the beach, and while you can’t really see the Long Island Sound from the pool, you may feel a breeze off the water now and then. There aren’t loungers — so don’t expect to lay out. It’s more about cooling down in the shallow end and swimming laps in the roped off swim lanes. Be wary of crowds. This pool can get ultra packed on weekends.
Here is the official update from Playland regarding construction after Huricane Sandy: The North Boardwalk and Seaside Walk remain closed until further notice. The North Boardwalk (adjacent to amusement park), which was totally destroyed by Hurricane Sandy is not expected to be replaced until sometime in 2014. Sand replacement of the beach will begin soon. The beach and pool are scheduled to open for the summer season on June 21. The pier remains closed for repairs and the Main Boardwalk is now open! [...]
Personal trainer and nutritionist Tiffanie Barton will shape you up by the end of summer.
June 18, 2013
It’s already June and you didn’t get around to that diet & rigorous fitness regime you said you were going to do after the holidays? No problem. Launching this month, Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, Tiffanie Barton of F.F.I.T LIFE, LLC, has created Total Condition Boot Camp that will have you “Taking Care of Business” in an all-inclusive health and wellness program right in the heart of Larchmont Village.
High intensity cardio intervals combined with plyometrics and strength training will challenge your total body throughout the hour-long TCB class and energize you for the rest of your day. Although this class WILL get you sweating, fun is also guaranteed! Tiffanie has a “no fuss, all fun” attitude that will push you to achieve your health and fitness goals that you never thought were possible. [...]
Why you'll love Mario the Magician as much as your kids will.
June 17, 2013
There are few kid shows that I’d claim to be “worth every penny,” but I watched a children’s magician perform the other day that had the parents laughing as hard as the kids. Meet Mario the Magician, a young hipster dad who doubles as an over the top traveling showman. This isn’t just a man who bought some tricks at the magic store and borrowed some jokes from a magician’s manual. His whole shtick is about what a lousy magician he is, like when the kids catch him “failing” to make, say, a shoelace disappear, and then it appears on his back.
Which isn’t to say there isn’t magic in the show. There’s plenty of “how did he do that” moments to keep the kids guessing. The magic starts from behind an old fashioned suitcase. Flowers popped up like they had a mind of their own, flags appeared and disappeared on command. The kids went wild. Mario interacted with the kids like a pro, thanks to his experience as a special education teacher’s aid, his slapstick humor and silly faces had everyone laughing. When he asked one little boy what his name was, he called him “ninja” before the boy could say his name, which had the kids in stitches. [...]
Watch our original video celebrating all dads on Sunday mornings.
June 16, 2013
Before you make your hubbie (or go out for) a special breakfast this morning, get inspired by this home movie called “Blueberry Pancakes”! Can you guess which one of our husbands was creative enough to pull this video off? (And no, the kids didn’t throw up!)
We interrupt this summer vacation for something despicable. And you can see something despicable for absolutely free! Universal Pictures is giving 10 lucky Wee Westchester readers a family four-pack of tickets to an advance screening of DESPICABLE ME 2 in White Plains on June 27th, as well as a DESPICABLE ME 2 prize pack!
Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment present an all-new comedy adventure featuring the return of super-villain Gru, his adorable girls and hilarious minions. Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove and Russell Brand in DESPICABLE ME 2. In theaters and Real-D 3-D July 3. Rated PG. [...]
A new wood-fired pizza place opens in the Much Talked About Armonk Square.
June 14, 2013
I’ll confess, I only learned about Fortina from my best friend last Thursday when we made plans to meet there on Saturday night. It’s the brainchild of three twenty-somethings, who I am told set out to create an italian style farmhouse vibe anchored by a menu of wood-fired pizzas and small plates that are just the right amount of inventive without going overboard.
About halfway through our meal, I blurted to our table: “Fortina is like Venice Beach…in the woods.” There were a fleet of good looking ‘dudes’ that served us with Jane’s Addiction and Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes humming loudly from the high ceilings of the beautifully designed barn with wood that was retrofitted from the former Armonk Gun Shop. For a place so – for lack of better word – cool, it was surprisingly family friendly with kids of all ages dining at tables inside and al fresco (there is a small outdoor seating area adjacent to the parking lot).
First things first…if the end of the school year, countless recitals and prepping for camp has left you without a Father’s Day gift for your husband this weekend, we’ve got you covered. Check out our Father’s Day Gift Guide and be done in a flash so you can get back to writing your kid’s initials on all of their tiny pairs of camp shorts.
Take a short drive to the Bronx and do double duty at The Bronx Zoo and The New York Botanical Garden. On Saturday, June 15 from 10am-5:30pm, give Dad a little scare at the Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari . The exhibit includes more than 20 life-like animatronic dinosaurs up to 40 feet long which snarl, roar and spit. Plus, there’s lots of other fun dinosaur themed experiences on site. Adult admission is $16.95, children (3-12 years old) $11.95, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14.95. Parking is $14 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo; 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx. [...]
Yes, there is one near you, and yes, you should sign your daughter up.
June 12, 2013
My daughter BEGGED me to take her to an American Girl Doll Club after school. Part of me thought the concept was cute — a crafting class to make things for your doll. Another part of me thought I was nuts to spend money on a class where they played with their dolls. (Weren’t the dolls expensive enough?) It turns out, they didn’t just sit around having tea. They made a lot of cool things and learned a lot of crafting skills.
The American Girl Doll Club is one of the programs taught by MovaFun Kids Clubs. Founded by Victoria Oshiro, a corporate executive who left her high power job to run creative after school programs for kids, MovaFun Kids Clubs offers local programs in Cooking, Fashion Design Sketching, Drama, Foreign Languages (Italian, Spanish and more), and Aviation, among others. Oshiro organized the American Girl Doll Club at my daughter’s school, but she also offers classes in Yonkers. [...]
Bring the whole family to their Open House on June 22 to see this lovely non-sectarian preschool in White Plains.
June 11, 2013
The Early Childhood Center (ECC) at Memorial United Methodist Church in White Plains will host a child-friendly Open House for Fall 2013 enrollment on Saturday, June 22 at 10 am. While your child plays, you can tour ECC’s sunny classrooms, meet current parents, and have all of your questions answered by the school’s director and teaching staff.
Now in its 55th year, ECC offers a high-quality non-sectarian preschool experience for Westchester families. ECC is licensed by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services and is one of only 25 schools in Westchester to have earned National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation. [...]
MHA Westchester's Kid-Friendly (Outdoor!) Mega-Yoga Event is June 19th
June 10, 2013
Close your eyes and picture this: a balmy summer evening with music to move to and yoga with your loved ones. Sound blissful to you too?
On Wednesday, June 19, 2013 (rain date June 20), The Mental Health Association of Westchester’s epic mega-yoga event, Get on Your Mat for Mental Health, will take place under the open sky on Court Street in White Plains, NY. It’s not only going to be a blast, but good for your body & mind, all while supporting a wonderful organization. No babysitter? Participation by kids is encouraged!
Registration is at 6pm, leaving you time to explore the yoga marketplace and enjoy the global sounds of House of Waters. Class begins at 7pm and will be taught by renowned yoga teacher and wellness expert Sadie Nardini.Tao Porchon-Lynch, the oldest living yoga teacher, according to the Guinness Book of World Records and this year’s Athleta Athlete of the Year, will lead the opening meditation. [...]
These grown up restaurants have plenty kids will love too.
June 9, 2013
I got an email from a dear friend (and fellow Westchesterite) the other day: “My husband loves breakfast. It’s his favorite meal of the day and all he wants to do for Father’s Day is go out for a nice breakfast. Where can I take him besides the diner — with my little hellions in tow?”
It’s a good question. Where can you get a step-up breakfast in Westchester? Here are our picks for an extra special breakfast (that won’t break the bank).
School will be ending soon so we are all thinking of ways to occupy the days before camp. Noka Joe’s is a spot that I have saved in my back pocket for one of those days. With an ice cream parlor and coffee shop on the bottom floor and a kids’ bookstore, Little Joe’s Books, on the second floor, you could spend hours at Noka Joe’s.
With a 1950′s style, stepping into Noka Joe’s is a refreshing change from a typical coffee house. During the winter, Noka Joe’s focuses on coffee and soup but now that it’s summer they serve soft serve ice cream and their full coffee and tea menu. The ice cream is from New Jersey’s cows at Welsh Farms.
Order a float, milk shake, flurry or ice cream cone with candy toppings. Other items on the menu include fresh smoothies, baked goods brought in from New York City and gourmet chocolates. Plus everywhere you look is something interesting from books for adults, retro toys, to jewelry and old-fashioned candy. Oh, and a huge jelly bean display. If you love candy, you are going to love this place! [...]
The term ‘Farm to Table’ may not have meant a lot to most of us a few years ago. You would eat a yummy meal at a restaurant and not think too hard about where your entree actually came from. But it might have come from Hemlock Hill, one of the last working family farms [...]
Yesterday I met up with some friends in Irvington for the debut of their (super awesome!) Wednesday Farmers Market. My husband and I took a drive down to the river as we were leaving and were reminded of just how lucky we all are to live near the Hudson. If you do one thing this [...]
About 18 months after I had my son, I went to the neighborhood pool for the first time in a Ralph Lauren string bikini. As I followed my son around in the toddler pool, I noticed many of the other moms were wearing one piece bathing suits. Suddenly, I felt naked. Was there some sort [...]
Boutique fitness studios are popping up all over Westchester. With their revolutionary equipment, cool music, and promise of actual physical results, are the days of going to “gym” coming to an end? Joining the SoulCycles, The Bar Method, and Go Figures in our county later this summer is Manhattan’s hottest fitness craze, SLT. Standing for Strengthen, Lengthen [...]
We traded life in the city for a white picket fence in Westchester, NY. But we're not willing to sacrifice style -- or fun. We write about a 100 little ways to make living here even better. Thanks for stopping by!
